Discover Qatar's Theatre, Television And Film History At DFI's Intaj Exhibition

The Doha film Institute (DFI) opened Wednesday a multimedia exhibition, Intaj, which traces the history of Qatar's film, television, and theatre. The event runs until January 22, 2023, at Sikkat Wadi Msheireb as part of the Doha Film Experience activities.
The dignitaries at the opening included DFI chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar media Corporation CEO HE sheikh Abdulaziz bin Thani al-Thani, Qatar Museums' (QM) board member HE Issa bin Mohammed al-Mohannadi, HE the Minister of State and Qatar National Library president Dr Hamad Bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari and Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy secretary-general HE Hassan al-Thawadi.
Hamad bin Khalifa University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences founding dean Dr Amal al-Malki, QM CEO Ahmad Musa al-Namla, acting deputy CEO of Exhibitions and Marketing Sheikha Reem al-Thani, Abu Issa Holding chairman and CEO Ashraf Abu Issa, composer and songwriter Dana Alfardan and Msheireb Properties' Marketing and Communication director Dr Hafez Ali Ali were also among those present.


HE Sheikha Al Mayassa is briefed by an artist at Intaj Exhibition 2022.

Intaj, curated by Sheikh Khalifa Abdulla al-Thani, is organised in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Msheireb Properties and QM, with the Qatar Media Corporation as media partner. The exhibition will be open from 10am to 10pm daily, except on Fridays when the event will open doors from 2pm to 10pm.
In a press statement, DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said:“Intaj is a shining tribute to our nation's heritage and legacy in theatre, television and cinema, each with its own unique niche that has contributed to Qatar's global position as a centre of cultural excellence.
The opening gallery at Intaj, Taking Centre Stage, highlights the dramatic rise of theatre in the country. From its humble beginnings in schools and social clubs, the contemporary theatre scene gained traction after the nation gained independence in 1971, with the founding of the Qatar Theatrical Troupe in 1972, and the Al Sadd Theatrical Troupe a year later.


HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and other dignitaries at the opening of the Intaj Exhibition 2022.

As the art form progressed and gained popularity, two additional troupes were formed—the Lights Theatrical Troupe and Folk Theatrical Troupe. In 1994, these four acclaimed organisations amalgamated into the Qatari Theatrical Troupe and the Doha Theatrical Troupe.
Since then, Qatar has gone on to build the noble Qatar National Theatre, which opened its doors in 1986 and the Qatar National Convention Centre in 2011, with its 2,300-seat theatre.
Tuned In celebrates Qatar's globally acclaimed television industry at Intaj's second gallery. Since its founding in August 1970, Qatar TV has become a long-standing and reliable source of information from all sectors.
The third gallery shines the spotlight on Qatar's cinematic history with 'A Focus on Filmmaking', beginning with modest 16mm film theatres in the 1950s. As popularity grew with local audiences, venues began opening throughout the country, resulting in the formation of the Qatar Cinema Company in 1970. The nation's film production industry took its first tentative steps in 1975, when Qatar TV began making short documentaries.
The art form grew into today's thriving cinema industry, and in 2010, HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa founded DFI to support the continued growth of the Qatari and regional film community through funding, training and international networking opportunities for content creators in the Arab world and beyond.
To date, DFI has supported over 750 projects from over 75 countries and is the first Arab organisation to receive 10 Oscar nominations in seven consecutive years for its supported films.
Flowing through explorations of each art form's development and influences on contemporary culture, the Intaj journey presents inspiring works from local multidisciplinary artists including Hamida Issa, Mohammed al-Hamadi, Maryam Faraj al-Suwaidi, Amna al-Baker, Noor al-Naser, and Rawda al-Thani, among others in 'The Interactive Age of Storytellers' gallery.
The journey concludes with a retrospective of world cinematic history with the Qatar Museums gallery, 'The Story of Cinema' and a cinematographic wall featuring contributions from Qatar's creative community.
Celebrating the very best in Qatari and Arabic filmmaking, creativity and art, the Doha Film Experience will expand this year's celebrations with an extensive programme of screenings, multimedia exhibition, Qatar's largest pop culture event Geekdom and a slate of live concerts with Ajyal Tunes.

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